Phoenix Guard Origins
by Donjusticia
Summary: By now, those of you who have read "Signs of Renewal," have become acquainted with the Phoenix Guard, the anonymous and enigmatic duelists who fight against the Earthbound. But how did this organization begin? What secrets does each member of the Phoenix Guard hold in their past? Potential spoiler warning. Happy Birthday Shimmering-Sky.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER!**

 **THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS POTENTIAL HUGE SPOILERS AND OTHER REVELATIONS REGARDING "SIGNS OF RENEWAL." THIS STORY WAS ORIGINALLY CRAFTED AS A ONE-SHOT BIRTHDAY PRESENT FOR Shimmering-Sky BUT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CONTAIN ADDITIONAL PIECES OF HISTORY AND BACKSTORY FOR CHARACTERS RELATED TO THE PHOENIX GUARD. READ ANY CHAPTER OF THIS SERIES AT YOUR OWN RISK! SERIOUSLY EVERYONE, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! I DO NOT WANT TO BE BLAMED FOR SPOILING MAJOR REVELATIONS IN "SIGNS OF RENEWAL," WITHOUT HAVING ADEQUATELY WARNED YOU ALL.**

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 **OKAY GUYS, SERIOUSLY. I MEANT WHAT I SAID. WHAT PART OF "MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!" DID YOU NOT GET?**

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 **ARE WE REALLY GONNA DO THIS RIGHT NOW?**

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 **BECAUSE I'M NOT GONNA WARN YOU AGAIN.**

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 **YUSEI IS YUGO'S FATHER!**

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 **OKAY, SO THAT'S NOT THE SPOILER, BUT SERIOUSLY EVERYONE! WHAT IF IT WAS!? THEN HOW WOULD YOU ALL FEEL?**

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 ***SIGH* OKAY, LAST CHANCE EVERYONE, JUST EXIT OUT OF THIS FANFIC AND WAIT FOR THE OFFICIAL CHAPTER OF "SIGNS OF RENEWAL" TO COME OUT. I PROMISE THE HAIATUS ISN'T GOING TO GO ON FOR TOOOOOOO MUCH LONGER.**

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 **THAT'S IT, I'VE TRIED, I AM COUNTING DOWN FROM TEN NOW, AND IF YOU PEOPLE ARE STILL READING THIS EVEN AFTER THIS VERITABLE WALL OF DISCLAIMER SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO REPEL YOU FROM READING "SIGNS OF RENEWAL" SPOILERS, THEN IT'S YOUR OWN DANG FAULT FOR HAVING YOUR READING EXPERIENCE RUINED.**

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 **TEN**

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 **NINE**

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 **EIGHT**

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 **SEVEN**

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 **SIX**

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 **ARE YOU HONESTLY READING ALL THIS?**

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 **POINT FIVE**

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 **.o.**

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 **XXX**

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Phoenix Guard Origins

Miku's Tale

Part 1: Unfortunate Prediction

"And it was after this summer uprising by the Arcadia Movement that the Executive Council knew that they would have to act. And so, in accordance with section 5287-64.03 of…"

Miku sat near the back of the classroom, fiddling with her strands of white hair she had recently died a sunny blonde while only just barely registering the main points of the lecture. As the instructor continued plowing through his pages of notes on the history of psychics in Neo Domino City, notes that seemed far more suitable for a college age audience than an elementary-age school girl like herself, what little remained of Miku's attention was immediately taken away when a girl with short brown hair, brown eyes, cowboy jeans, and a white top tossed a crumpled piece of paper onto Miku's desk. Quietly un-crumpling the paper, Miku discreetly began reading the note that her friend, Aliesha Claire, had written for her.

 _I'm WAY too medicated right now to pay attention to this guy, could you take notes for me? –Ali-_

Sighing, Miku pulled out a pen and began writing back to her.

 _Ali, I'm on my meds too. I can't even think the word "psychic" much less take notes on it. Why don't you ask Carly to take notes for you? The meds they give her for her psychic powers aren't nearly as mind numbing as mine. –Miku-_

Sluggishly, Miku slid her hand over to Aliesha's desk, head dropping onto her desk as she nearly fell to sleep, the room almost spinning around her as the mind-numbing medication she had taken before class continued its work. Through the fog of her perception, Miku could hear the instructor's voice buzzing at her like a small and annoying fly.

"…complete eradication of the psychic race seemed inevitable, though thankfully, due to advancement in psychostimulative and psychodeppressive drugs and the current Chief of the Public Security Maintenance Bureau's pragmatic approach to the growing problem of psychic terrorism, a solution that enabled the psychic population to integrate with the un-afflicted population was proposed which…"

The ball of paper came flying back, smacking into Miku's head before rolling onto her desk.

 _Carly's sitting up all the way in the front where the teacher will see her if I pass her the note. And besides, you know how she gets when she's in class, it's like the whole outside world dissolves around her and all she can think about is getting a perfect A on every assignment. –Ali-_

Miku looked forward to where her other friend, Carly, was sitting. Sure enough, despite similar medications she had had to take before class, Carly was furiously taking notes of everything the instructor was saying, pausing only to adjust the glasses over her face. Across from Carly, Miku could make out the instructor asking some question to the class before scanning the room to call on someone.

"Miku!"

Instantly, Miku's head jolted upright as she heard the instructor call her name.

"Present and accounted for!" Miku hastily replied before she could stop herself.

All throughout the class, students everywhere began laughing.

"Uhm…no Miss Kazuki, but I'm afraid 'present and accounted for' is not the name of the scientist responsible for developing the psychokinetic suppressant drug. Would someone else who has been paying attention please help miss Kazuki out?

The developer of the psychokinetic suppressant? Somehow the answer to the question seemed familiar to her. She knew the drug to be the thing that psychics like herself were required to take, and she was certain she had heard of the four people who had developed the drug, but between the effects of her medication and her own forgetfulness, she was having trouble remembering their names. She tried to remember what she had read in their history textbook the day before, but nothing came to mind, at least nothing that felt like the correct answer.

"Stupid psychics." She heard a boy whisper from behind her. "It's like their telekinetic powers drain all their brain power."

"Well let's see how you smart you are after taking this stuff!" Aliesha snarled pulling out a container of bright red pills and shaking them in the direction of the boy.

"Miss Claire, is there something you'd like to add?" the instructor asked.

"No." Aliesha ruefully replied.

"Then would you kindly give us the name of the scientist responsible for developing the psychokinetic suppressant drug that ultimately enabled psychics to integrate into society?"

"I have no freaking clue, except that whoever it was must have been a sadist, because I don't feel the least bit integrated into society with this stuff." Aliesha snapped.

Miku couldn't help laughing at her friend's response. Really her answer, as sarcastic as it was, felt all too accurate for Miku.

"I'm not in the mood for your jokes, Aliesha." The instructor lectured, "Especially when this lesson concerns history directly related to how your kind can enjoy the privilege of being in this classroom in the first place."

"I actually think I know the answer to the question." Miku cut in, causing the instructor to cast an annoyed expression her direction. "I don't remember the guy's full name, Magmus or something, but I remember he was originally a leader of the Arcadia movement."

This answer only elicited more laughter from the class. To Miku's right, a tall boy with freckles and a small upturned nose raised his hand.

"Well, I don't know what history book Miku is reading…" the boy said with a condescending laugh, "…but the _actual_ answer to your question is Dr. L. S. Derringer, Sector Security's head scientist."

"Correct Mr. Flanders." The instructor replied, nodding his head. "Dr. Derringer was indeed responsible for-…"

"Uhm…teacher?" Carly's timid voice suddenly interrupted as the petit girl sitting in the front raised her hand.

The instructor paused mid-sentence, before jerking his head in Carly's direction.

"Miss Nagisa, it is rude to interrupt." He snapped.

"Uhm…but…teacher?" Carly stammered, still keeping her hand raised.

"What?" the instructor sternly replied.

"Zack got it wrong." Carly quietly replied.

"What did you say!?" the kid who had just barely answered the instructor's question growled, almost rising from his chair as he glared at Carly.

"I'm not following you." Said the instructor, looking down at Carly with a confused expression on his face.

"Don't bother with it." Said Zack, waving his hand dismissively in Carly's direction. "She's a psychic. She's probably medicated her brains out and is spouting nonsense."

"Enough, Mr. Flanders." The teacher snapped, causing Zack to clamp his mouth shut, face flushing red with resentment. "Please clarify what you mean Miss Nagisa, I'd like to know how Mr. Flanders is incorrect when the textbook very clearly identify Dr. Derringer as the developer of the suppressant."

"Uhm…well…" Carly seemed to freeze, she was visibly shaking and flushing red. Nervously she turned her head back, looking from Zack, who was glaring at her with an icy expression, to Aliesha, and to Miku.

"Well?" the instructor repeated.

Miku wasn't quite sure what Carly's answer was going to be, but she was certain that Zack's response wasn't exactly right, regardless of what the textbook said. Besides that, Carly was probably the smartest person she knew, so there was no way she would have just made a comment like that without being certain that she was right. She just needed some encouragement, especially with neither the teacher nor the rest of the class giving her any support. Quietly, when Carly glanced in her direction, Miku mouthed the words, "You can do it."

Gulping, Carly nodded her head before adjusting her glasses and turning her head in the instructor's direction.

"While it is true that the textbook identifies Dr. Derringer as the developer of the final serum correctly defined as N.P.P.F.Y.25, or more commonly known as a 'Psychokinetic Suppressant…'" Carly began reciting at top speed as if she had mentally rehearsed the answer several times, "it was in fact the work of four psychics, Magnus Prieur, who ironically was the leader of the Arcadia Movement at the time, Rex and Roman Godwin, and Ryuu, the latter three being lead scientists in Neo Domino City, who collaborated with one another to develop the prototype serums. While Magnus originally wanted to use the serum as a way to enable his followers to infiltrate the government by masking their powers, Ryuu convinced Rex and Roman to part ways with Magnus and present their work to the city council, originally as a way for children with psychic powers to control their abilities so that they would not inadvertently harm themselves or others. Dr. Derringer, however, seeing the serum as a way to control psychic abilities in general, later lobbied to the Executive Council to make psychic medication mandatory, and so the Executive Council later placed Dr. Derringer in charge of mass producing the serum developed by Magnus, Rex, Roman, and Ryuu, thus enabling Dr. Derringer to claim credit for creating the final version of N.P.P.F.Y.25 used to medicate psychics to this day."

Miku perked up at the mention of her dad. So that's why the answer had seemed familiar to her. Her dad had helped create the medication.

To her right, Miku could hear Zack laughing.

"Are you serious?" he jeered. "Magnus, the guy who tried to have psychics take over the world, and three other psychics created the stupid drug you freaks take? Give me a break!"

The instructor, however, seemed to be considering Carly's statement.

"Uhm…well…actually…now that I do think about it…I believe I may have…" he pulled out a small hand-held computer and began tapping at the screen, "Hmph…" he exclaimed, widening his eyes in surprise as he looked over his hand-held device, "it appears Miss Nagisa is indeed correct. Thank you for your contribution, Carly. It would appear that Magnus, Rex, Roman, and Ryuu were indeed responsible for the initial creation of the psychokinetic suppressant."

Zack looked completely stunned.

"Wait, are you saying that I was wrong!?" he sputtered.

"Oh…well…I wouldn't say wrong, but it appears we were both missing some essential facts the textbook had skimmed over…"

"Are you seriously believing what that psychic is saying!?" Zack continued, standing up from his chair.

"Please be seated, Mr. Flanders." The instructor sternly admonished.

"Are you being serious right now!? She's a freaking psychic! How do you know she didn't just scramble your brain to make you think her stupid answer was right!?"

"Sit down, now!" the instructor repeated.

"I'm not sitting down!" Zack barked, "I wanna know why your believing that psychic over me! I'm a Flanders for crying out loud! I've never gotten anything wrong before in this or any of my other classes!"

"Enough!" the instructor yelled, silencing the now very angry Zack, who slumped into his chair. "The issue is settled Mr. Flanders. Now I don't blame you for saying that Dr. Derringer developed the serum when it is the information that our textbook has provided, but I did do some fact-checking just now, and I have found several credible articles and a footnote within our textbook that does indeed verify what miss Nagisa just said. So please, Mr. Flanders, settle down and take the opportunity to learn some new information or it will be detention for you, now then, as I was saying…"

Just then, the bell rang, causing all the students in the classroom to rise from their seats as they before filing into the hallway for recess, leaving the very flustered instructor to stay in the classroom with Zack, who was stewing in his seat.

"Well thank goodness that's over!" Aliesha sighed as she and Miku wadded through the crowd of students until they reached Carly, who was looking quite relieved that class was over as she put away her school supplies. "So how does it feel to be smarter than the textbook, Carly?"

"Oh…uhm…well…" Carly stammered, adjusting her trifocals over her face as she got off her seat to join Miku and Aliesha as they exited the class, "I wouldn't say I know more than the textbook, it's just that the professor was leaving out some information, so I decided to bring up that little fact."

"That's our Carly." Aliesha said with a laugh, "Eleven year old girl genius destined to rule the world someday! Psychic power for the win!"

Carly blushed at her comment but looked pleased all the same.

"You probably could be pretty successful when you grow up with the grades your getting now." Said Miku as they walked down the hallway of the school. "What do you plan on becoming when you grow up?"

"Uhm, well…" Carly timidly began, "…honestly, ever since I was very little, I actually kind of wanted to be a reporter, or a duel commentator-…"

"Like that one MC with that giant black pompadour that looks like he's got a burnt sausage growing out of his head?" Aliesha interrupted.

Miku burst out laughing, remembering the rather eccentric Master of Ceremonies who would always provide commentary for the city's duel tournaments.

"Well, probably not THAT guy." Carly laughed, "But maybe I could be like your sister." She added, pointing at Aliesha.

"Melissa?" Aliesha replied with a groan, "I can't stand her! She wants me to become a reporter just like her, just not on the same network so that she doesn't have any competition, and she keeps sending me these reminders to take my medication every hour on the hour and NEVER play duel monsters just so that my psychic abilities don't 'jeopardize my future!'"

"That must be annoying." Miku agreed, "Especially when you've been practicing to become a pro duelist."

"I know right?" Aliesha replied. "I've been working on constructing my deck and I even got a Duel Disk last Christmas, but I can never get an opponent to practice against because they're either too scared that my psychic powers will make my holograms solid, or my sister will grab me and force me to take my meds! I'll never even learn to Synchro Summon at this rate!"

"How close are you to figuring that out?" Miku asked, remembering that her mother, Ayame, had shown her the technique just a few weeks ago.

"I've got the basics down," Aliesha replied, "and I've found a tuner, but I still need to find a Synchro monster before I can actually do it."

"I've got a Synchro monster." Carly piped in, pulling out a small deck from her pocket.

"What?" Aliesha asked, looking surprised.

"My dad gave me one for my birthday." Carly explained, pulling out a white card to show Miku and Aliesha.

"No way!" Aliesha exclaimed, "This thing's rare! Like, super rare!"

"Your dad must have spent quite a bit to give you that." Said Miku, taking a look at the card to admire its elegant artwork.

"Haven't you got a Synchro card in your deck?" Carly asked, looking at Miku.

"One." Miku admitted. "But it's a hand-me-down from my mother, not new like yours is."

"But you know how to Synchro Summon it, right?" Carly asked, suddenly looking very eager.

"Uhm, yeah…but…my mom doesn't want me to duel anyone unless she's with me." Miku admitted, rubbing the back of her neck. "She says it would be very dangerous."

"What, because of your psychic powers?" Aliesha groaned, rolling her eyes. "Come on, we've been popping pills until the meds have started oozing out our ears. I couldn't push someone with my arms, let alone my mind. And besides, BOTH OF YOU HAVE SYNCHRO MONSTERS! I've gotta see you guys summon them! It'll be so cool! Please? Let's just do one three-way duel, us friends. We'll all get to practice, and we could even pop a pill before we begin just to be safe. What do you say?"

"I don't know…" Miku hesitantly replied, remembering just how animated her mother had been whenever she had warned her to never duel without her around. And her fears weren't unfounded. There were plenty of horror stories out there all about how some young psychic duelist had picked up a deck and ended up setting their house on fire, or severely injuring a family member because they gave one of their holograms mass. Miku's mother had taught her the basics of dueling under her tutelage, telling her that it would be necessary for her to at least know, in case she needed to defend herself, but had specifically warned her that she could put herself and others in danger if she dueled for fun like her peers. Still, Miku _had_ taken her medication, and Aliesha was looking _very_ excited to get started. But on the other hand…

"Please Mimi." Carly begged, using Miku's nickname. "I'd really like to learn from you."

Miku looked back and forth between her two friends, who were both waiting expectantly for her response.

"Why not." Miku finally decided, pulling out the deck her mother had given her. "Come on, Carly, let's show you how to Synchro Summon."

…

"Not much of a duel field, but I guess it'll do." Aliesha sighed as the three of them entered the school playground.

Although the play area of their school was definitely better than most of the playgrounds in the Common slums, it was definitely not one of the recreational parks a Top family might enjoy. Throngs of school children crowded the various swings, jungle gyms, and ball courts, with still more crowding the field with the various duel monsters they were summoning.

"Will we have enough space?" Carly nervously asked.

"One way to find out." Miku shrugged, pulling out her Duel Disk before pulling out her medication and popping a red pill in her mouth.

The second she had swallowed, a nearby group of kids noticed Miku with her Duel Disk and psychic medication. With eyes bugging out of their heads, dozens of kids suddenly backed away several paces.

"Well I guess that answers that question." Aliesha huffed, looking annoyed. "We're on our meds!" she shouted at the crowds, "It's not like we're gonna hurt anyone!"

Miku scanned the surrounding kids who were watching them. Ruefully, she almost began to wish she hadn't taken her meds, feeling like they were doing a lot more harm than good right now. Most of the other nearby duelists had hastily ended their duels and backed away as if expecting a violent explosion to erupt from Miku's as yet unbegun duel any second. Everyone, that is, except Zack, who was dueling two other boys while staring at Miku and her friends with a look of resentment.

"Uhm…maybe we shouldn't…" Carly nervously whispered, putting away her Duel Disk.

"It'll be okay." Miku reassured Carly, with a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Let's just do it."

"Yeah, who cares about them?" Aliesha agreed, activating her own Duel Disk. "LET'S DUEL!"

"DUEL!" Miku agreed.

"Duel?" Carly added, not too sure of herself.

"DUEL COMMENCING!" said their Duel Disks in unison, "BATTLE ROYAL MODE!"

 **MIKU VS. ALIESHA VS. CARLY**

"I'll start things off." Said Miku, pulling a card from her hand. "I normal summon Celestial Knight - Venus!"

As Miku placed her card on the Duel Disk, she felt a familiar energy coursing through her veins and into the center of her back. Through a blue portal in the sky, Miku's monster, a young woman with well-endowed proportions, vivid orange armor with a lighter shade over the breastplate, a heart shaped helm covering the upper half of her fair face, and long flowing blonde hair spilling out from behind her helmet, landed on the battlefield before whipping out a pair of short twin daggers with red crystal hearts embedded in the hilts and assuming a battle stance. Looking at her monster, Miku could almost swear that she felt the determination and courage of her knight.

 **Celestial Knight – Venus/ DARK/ Level 4/ Warrior/ Effect/ ATK 1700/ DEF 1000**

"I can't attack on my first turn," Miku continued, "so I'll end my turn by setting two cards face-down and ending my turn. You wanna go next Carly?"

"Uhm…I think I'd better wait till Aliesha goes. I want to study the cards in my hand a bit more." Carly replied.

"Fine by me." Aliesha shrugged. "It's my turn! Draw!"

Yanking a card from the top of her deck, Aliesha did not hesitate for a second before picking a card from her hand and placing it on her Duel Disk.

"I'll start by activating the Field Spell Card, Geisha Hanamachi!"

All around the area where Miku and her friends were playing, a Japanese town suddenly sprang up. In defiance of the bright sunny day, the sky over the town suddenly became a dark moon-lit night, with moonlight casting its light on various brightly-lit bathhouses, tea-houses, flower gardens, and a canal running through the center of the town with ferrymen ferrying well-dressed men and woman in masks to various houses of entertainment. In the shadows of the lively town, Miku could swear she could feel the presence of various hidden individuals watching her every move.

"Wow, that's really cool!" Carly exclaimed, "I didn't know there were cards that could change the whole field!"

"If you think that's cool, wait till you see this!" Aliesha continued, "Since my opponent controls a monster and I don't, I summon Geisha Maiko from my hand!"

Through a blue portal, Aliesha's monster, a small green-haired woman with a white painted face, black kimono, and a thin red veil over her face appeared to the field, twirling a pair of ribbons around her body as she danced in front of Aliesha.

 **Geisha Maiko/ WIND/ Level 3/ Warrior/ Effect/ ATK 1200/ DEF 1200**

"When Geisha Maiko is summoned, I can add one 'Geisha' monster from my deck to my hand." Aliesha continued, yanking a card from her deck and adding it to her hand before showing it to Miku and Carly. "And when I add a card to my hand, including by drawing, while Geisha Maiko is on my field, each of my opponents have to reveal a card of the same type from their hand, Monster, Magic, or Trap Card, or they take 500 damage. The card I added to my hand was a monster card, Geisha Onee-San, so the rest of you had better show me a monster, or you're gonna get burned."

"I'll reveal Fortune Fairy Swee in my hand." Said Carly, showing her card to the others.

"I've got Celestial Knight, Jupiter." Said Miku, showing her own monster to the others. "Looks like you don't get to burn us yet."

"Not yet." Aliesha agreed, "But now my Geisha Hanamachi's effect activates! Each time a card in the hand or face-down on the field is revealed by a card effect, my Geisha Hanamachi gains one Geisha counter, and since I revealed a card and you both revealed a card, my Geisha Hanamachi gains three Geisha counters."

In the center of the town plaza, a ring of lanterns began lighting up one by one until three lanterns burned with a lurid red-orange glow.

"For every Geisha counter on Geisha Hanamachi, my Geisha monsters gain 300 ATK and DEF, so get ready to feel the thunder!" Aliesha warned as her her monster began twirling around her ribbons while engaging in an elaborate dance, cherry blossom petals swirling around her as her body glowed with moonlight and her ATK rose.

 **Geisha Maiko 1200 + (300 X 3) = 2100 ATK**

"But I'm not stopping there." Aliesha continued, "Because now, since I haven't normal summoned a monster yet, I will tribute my Geisha Maiko in order to Tribute Summon the Geisha Onee-San I added to my hand!"

Smiling, Aliesha's monster jumped into the air, twirling around her ribbons while a cloud of cherry blossoms twirled around her, completely obscuring her from view. When the flower petals cleared away, a taller black-haired woman with white face-paint, an elegant kimono with a red sash, and an elaborate headdress with a pink lotus flower in the center, gently descended to the field, a beautiful white fan covering her face, before gracefully bowing to Aliesha's opponents.

 **Geisha Onee-San/ DARK/ Level 5/ Warrior/ Effect/ ATK 1800/ DEF 1800**

"Once per turn, during either player's turn," Aliesha explained, "I can reveal one face-down card my opponent controls or one random card from their hand, and if I do, my opponent cannot activate the effects of that card for the rest of the turn. So with the effect of my monster, I'll reveal one of Miku's face-downs."

Whipping her fan through the air, Aliesha's monster sent a gust of wind in the direction of one of Miku's cards, blowing the card upright."

"Celestial reflector, huh?" Said Aliesha, looking at the revealed card. "So it looks like you'll be ready to negate one of my attacks, not that I can attack now anyway."

"I protect my monsters." Miku replied. "And you'll probably see why in just a little bit."

"You'll have to get past my monster first." Aliesha countered. "Since another card was revealed, my Geisha Hanamachi gains another Geisha countered, which means more ATK for my monster."

 **Geisha Onee-San 1800 + (4 X 300) = 3000 ATK**

"With that done, I'll set 1 card face-down and end my turn." Said Aliesha, placing a card on her duel disk. "Your move, Carly, let's see what you've got!"

"Oh…uhm…uh…" Carly stammered, taken aback by Aliesha's enthusiasm. "I…d-d-d-draw."

Nervously, she snagged a card from the top of her deck before her eyes suddenly bulged with worry.

"Okay, show me what you drew." Aliesha commanded.

"Wha-bu- I thought you were supposed to keep the cards in your hand secret." Carly replied, looking confused.

"It's the effect of her Field Spell Card." Miku patiently explained, remembering some of the strategies she had seen Aliesha use during the rare times she had managed to find an opponent.

"Yep." Aliesha agreed. "As long as Geisha Hanamachi is face-up on my side of the field, any time a player adds a card to their hand, including by drawing, I can make that player reveal the card they just added to their hand, so now you do have to reveal that card."

"Well…okay then." Carly sighed, slowly revealing the card she drew with a dejected expression on her face.

"Oh…it's that one?" Aliesha asked, suddenly sounding concerned.

"It's Fortune Fairy Ann!" Carly cried out, almost weeping. "It means something bad is going to happen in this duel! I know it!"

Miku and Aliesha both exchanged looks of worry. As a rule, Carly kept her deck of Fortune Fairies with her wherever she went. If she was ever uncertain about something, she would draw a card from the top of her deck and predict her future with it. For most people, such a practice would most likely have been written off as superstition, but with Carly having a measure of psychic abilities, one never knew just how accurate her predictions could be.

"Hey now…don't worry…" Aliesha hesitantly replied, trying to sound reassuring, "You don't know that. Maybe it has nothing to do with the duel. Maybe…I don't know…your mom's gonna make you clean your room and send you home to bed without supper."

"No!" Carly insisted, "It's gonna be something super bad! I can feel it! I'm so sorry! I-I shouldn't have asked you guys to duel. I'll quit now."

"Don't quit on us!" Aliesha complained, "We were just getting started!"

"Yeah," Miku agreed, "You don't have to worry about us, we're both here to help you."

"And we've taken our meds, so we'll be okay." Aliesha agreed.

"Is that what you're worried about?" Miku asked, "Your psychic abilities hurting us?"

Nervously, Carly shook her head "yes."

"We'll be okay, Carly." Miku reassured her. "And besides, Fortune Fairy Ann isn't the duelist, you are. You get to choose what happens during your turn, not her, and I know you can be a great duelist."

"Yeah." Aliesha agreed, "You can't attack on your first turn anyway, and besides that, we're tough. Even if you do accidently make one of your holograms a little solid, we can take it. I hear that the pro-duelists even use Solid Vision holograms that create strong shockwaves whenever they move, so if you accidentally hit me, it'll be great practice for me."

"But I don't want to hit you!" Carly protested.

"Then you don't have to." Miku reassured Carly. "Look…" she continued, approaching Carly before holding up the Fortune Fairy Ann she had revealed, "…my mom taught me that the cards in our decks have spirits of their own. If we duel with a specific goal in mind, the thoughts of our spirit will resonate with their spirit, and the cards will answer to our desires."

Carly blinked at Miku, looking a little confused.

"Basically," Miku explained, "if you don't want to hurt any of us, then you don't have to. The cards will hear your thoughts and will do as you wish. And actually…" Miku admitted, as she began to sense feelings of concern and devotion emanating from the cards in Carly's deck, "…I'm pretty sure that none of your monsters want to hurt us anyway."

Carly wiped a tear from her eye. "Really?" she asked.

"Positive." Miku reassured her.

Carly looked over at Aliesha.

"I don't know about the feelings of the cards." Aliesha hesitantly replied, "But I do know you're in control of your own game, Carly. Everything will be okay, I promise."

Gulping, Carly slowly nodded her head.

"Thank you." She quietly whispered. "I think I'll do my turn now."

"You'll do well." Said Miku, patting Carly on the back.

"Knock em dead!" Aliesha enthused.

Carly's eyes widened.

"I didn't mean that literally." Aliesha clarified.

"Uhm…right." Said Carly, nodding her head before looking through the cards in her hand.

"I'll start by normal summoning Fortune Fairy Swee." Carly began, gingerly placing one of the cards in her hand onto her Duel Disk.

Above her head, a diminutive fairy with long blue hair with feathery blue wings poking out of the sides of her head, a blue dress, and a small staff with a blue gem appeared to Carly's field.

 **Fortune Fairy Swee/ WATER/ Level 4/ Fairy/ ATK 0/ DEF 0**

"Next," Carly continued, "I will activate Luck Loan in order to Special Summon 1 Fortune Fairy monster from my hand with a Lower Level than Fortune Fairy Swee. Using this card, I Special Summon Fortune Fairy Hu.

Behind Carly's Fortune Fairy Swee, an image of her Spell Card appeared. Fluttering up to the face of the card, Swee began tugging inside the holographic spell card before pulling out another diminutive fairy with green hair and eyes, a green dress, and a staff with a green gem."

 **Fortune Fairy Hu/ WIND/ Level 3/ Fairy/ ATK 0/ DEF 0**

"And now," Carly continued, "Voice gradually gaining confidence as she continued, since I just summoned a Fortune Fairy monster, I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card, Unfortunate Prediction. When this card is activated, I can Special Summon one Fortune Fairy from my hand, deck, or graveyard with a higher level than the monster I summoned. So come forth from my deck, Fortune Fairy Uchuu!"

Raising their staffs into the air with somber expressions on their faces, Fortune Fairy Swee and Hu both began humming in unison before a portal opened in the sky above Carly's head and a somewhat larger fairy with deep black hair and a black dress that glittered like a shimmering sky in the pale light of Aliesha's Field Spell Card.

 **Fortune Fairy Uchuu/ DARK/ Level 7/ Fairy/ Tuner/ Effect/ ATK 0/ DEF 0**

"And now I will activate the effect of Fortune Fairy Uchuu." Carly continued, extending her hand towards her monster. "A number of times per turn, up to the number of Fortune Fairy monsters I control, I can decrease the Level of one monster on the field by one, and if I do, I can return 1 card from my hand to the bottom of my deck in order to add one Spell Card from my deck to my hand."

"Wait, you can add ANY spell card from your deck to your hand!?" Aliesha exclaimed.

"Yeah, why?" Carly asked, looking concerned. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Oh no." Aliesha reassured her, "It's just, most cards don't have that kind of searching power."

"Oh." Carly replied, before returning to her play as Fortune Fairy Uchuu raised a staff with a small swirling galaxy in the center into the sky. "With the effect of Fortune Fairy Uchuu, I will reduce the Level of my Fortune Fairy Uchuu by one, twice, in order to return Unacceptable Result and Fortune Fairy Ann to the bottom of my deck and add the Continuous Spell Cards, Miracle Stone and Miracle Ring from my deck to my hand."

 **Fortune Fairy Uchuu: 7 – 2 = Level 5**

"Well," Aliesha countered, "That actually helps me. Since you added two cards to your hand, I can make you reveal both those cards with my Geisha Hanamachi in order to get two more Geisha counters on my card. Furthermore, I'll activate my Geisha Onee-San's effect to reveal Miku's other face-down card. Show me what you've got, Mimi."

"It's Hallowed Life Barrier." Miku admitted, as Aliesha's monster sent a gust of wind her direction in order to blow her concealed Trap Card face-up.

"Wow, you weren't kidding when you said you protect your monsters." Aliesha whistled. "But with the card Carly revealed at the beginning of her turn, those two spell cards she revealed, and the card you just revealed, that's a total of four more Geisha counters for my Geisha Hanamachi.

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 8 Geisha Counters**

 **Geisha Onee-San: 1800 + (8 X 300) = 4200 ATK**

"Wow…that's a lot of attack." Carly exclaimed.

"Told you I was gonna become a pro-duelist." Aliesha confidently replied.

"Yeah, but high attack power isn't enough to win." Miku countered. "It's still your move, Carly."

"Oh, uhm, right." Carly agreed. "I will now activate the two Spell Cards I added to my hand, Miracle Stone and Miracle Ring.

Two either side of Carly, two Continuous Spell Cards materialized into existence before a large clear crystal and a glowing ring of light with runes carved into the sides of the ring, appeared above Carly's head. Bodies shining with light, Carly's Fortune Fairy monsters began growing in size until they each stood twice as tall as Carly.

 **Fortune Fairy Uchuu: 0 + 3000 = 3000 ATK**

 **Fortune Fairy Hu: 0 + 3000 = 3000 ATK**

 **Fortune Fairy Swee: 0 + 3000 = 3000 ATK**

"Woah!" Aliesha and Miku exclaimed in unison, surprised by how strong Carly's monsters had suddenly become.

"While Miracle Stone is on my field, my Fortune Fairy monsters gain 1000 ATK for each Fortune Fairy monster I control. Furthermore, while Miracle Ring is on my field, my Fortune Fairy monsters cannot be targeted by my opponent's card effects and they cannot be destroyed by battle or card effect once per turn for each face-up Fortune Fairy monster I control."

"That's are some pretty sweet effects." Aliesha exclaimed. "If I didn't have my Geisha Onee-San right now, I'd be shaking in my boots right about now."

"Thank you." Carly replied with a smile. "But I can't really attack right now anyway, so I'll end my turn."

"You're up, Mimi." Said Aliesha, looking very excited. "Oh man, this is getting so good! I can't wait to take both of you down! Hey wait!" she suddenly added, looking over at Carly's field, "Didn't you want to Synchro Summon with your monsters?"

"What?" Carly asked, looking confused.

"You've got a tuner." Aliesha explained. "And with Uchuu's effect, you lowered her level, so you should be able to Synchro Summon the monster you showed us!"

"Oh…uhm…" Carly stammered, blushing a deep red. "I didn't…I didn't even think of that, but uhm…"

"Do you wanna do a do-over?" Miku asked, hand hovering over her deck.

"Uhm…no." Carly replied, shaking her head. "I know you've been waiting, and besides, I wanna see you Synchro Summon first so I can see how to do it."

"Alight then." Miku replied with a shrug before drawing a card from the top of her deck. "Then get ready, Carly, because I can feel a Synchro Summon coming my way! DRAW!"

"Show me what you've got!" Aliesha shouted with enthusiasm, pointing at the card Miku just drew.

"Read it and weep." Miku replied, revealing the card in her hand, "Because the card I just drew is Celestial Synchron! A tuner!"

Carly gasped with excitement.

"Don't get ahead of yourself!" Aliesha countered, "I still get a power boost since you revealed a card from your hand, and I'll also activate the effect of Geisha Onee-San to reveal your Hallowed Life Barrier, preventing you from using it this turn and adding another Geisha counter to Geisha Hanamachi!"

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 10 counters**

 **Geisha Onee-San: 1800 + (10 X 300) = 4800 ATK**

"That attack isn't going to do you any good." Miku smirked, I'll start by Normal Summmoning Celestial Synchron!"

Above Miku's head, a small blue portal opened up in the sky before a Star Icosahedron made of silvery white metal, with glowing green rings over the points of the stars, descended from the sky, before stopping to hover over Miku's head.

 **Celestial Synchron/ LIGHT/ Level 3/ Machine/ Tuner/ Effect/ ATK 700/ DEF 1800**

"If Celestial Synchron is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 1 monster from my deck, so come forth in defense position, Celestial Angel!"

Descending from the sky, a pale girl with white hair, large feathery angel wings, and a simple white robe descended from the sky, light radiating from her bare fingers and toes as she gazed upon the field with a pair of sky-blue eyes.

 **Celestial Angel/ LIGHT/ Level 1/ Fairy/ Effect/ ATK 100/ DEF 100**

"Remember when I told you your monster's attack power wouldn't matter?" Miku asked, feeling ever more excited as she continued her plays.

"Yeah?" Aliesha replied, narrowing her eyes at Miku with suspicion.

"Well I'm about to show you why!" Since I control a Celestial monster other than Celestial Knight – Venus, I can activate her effect! Once per turn, I can target 1 monster my opponent controls and take control of it until the End-Phase of this turn."

Aliesha widened her eyes with shock.

"Go, Celestial Knight Venus! Take control of Geisha Onee-San, Bleeding Hearts!"

Nodding her head at her master, Celestial Knight – Venus tossed both her daggers at the heart of Aliesha's monster.

"Not so fast!" Aliesha countered, "You're not the only one with trap cards! I activate my face-down Continuous Trap Card, Geisha Infiltration! Once per turn, I can give control of one of my Geisha monsters to my opponent until the end of this turn in order to force my opponent to reveal a number of cards in their hand, up to the number of monsters they control! Furthermore, while you control a Geisha monster, you cannot attack!"

Batting away the daggers with her fan, Aliesha's monster suddenly vanished in a cloud of Cherry Blossoms before reappearing to Miku's field, smiling at the stunned Miku with a coy expression on her face.

"Of course, since Geisha Hanamachi only powers up my monsters, than that means her ATK power is only 1800 while you control her. Not that you can attack with her anyway. Now show me what you got!" Aliesha insisted.

"Okay." Miku sighed, a little frustrated that her strategy had been countered as she showed Miku the two cards in her hand, Celestial Knight Jupiter and Celestial Force.

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 12 counters**

"How's that for ATK power not mattering?" Aliesha taunted. "Now that rule applies to you!"

"Yuck it up while you can." Miku replied, "I still have plenty of defenses left. And besides, I promised to show Carly how to Synchro Summon, not just squash you with your own monster. Ready Carly?"

"Mmmmhmmm!" Carly replied, looking very excited indeed.

Miku smiled back at her friend before extending her hand towards her monsters. Closing her eyes, she felt immense power radiating from her cards, as if her monsters were calling to her, demanding that Miku win the duel. From the depths of her Extra Deck, she could swear she heard the roar of a dragon.

Suddenly, Miku felt uneasy.

Pausing with her hand in the air, Miku hesitated as the voice of her mother echoed in her mind.

 _"_ _Remember, Miku," she whispered as she held up the Synchro Monster that would soon become her own, "This card is your protector. Only use it in emergencies, and NEVER duel without either your father or myself nearby."_

 _"_ _But why can't I duel, mama?" Miku whispered back._

 _Ayame hesitated, looking off into the distance with a worried expression on her face._

 _"_ _There are bad people who are looking for us." She finally said. "People who would recognize you for the wonderful person you are if you used your abilities and who would try to hurt you because of it. You must trust me, Miku. Never duel unless it's an emergency. Will you do this for me?"_

 _"_ _Yes, mama." Miku replied._

"Are you okay?" Aliesha asked, "Or did you suddenly forget how to Synchro Summon?"

Miku blinked, shaking her head with frustration. She had promised her mother back then that she wouldn't duel without her or her dad nearby, and now that she was a bit older and knew about the nature of psychic abilities, she could understand why. But her dad hadn't developed the serum back then. It should be okay now that she had taken her medication. And besides, her friends were waiting for her. Stretching her hand towards her monsters once more, Miku continued with her turn.

"I tune my Level three Celestial Synchron to my Level four Celestial Knight – Venus!" Miku proclaimed, raising her hands into the air as the rings attached to Celestial Synchron detached from its metallic body before morphing into three Synchro Rings that enveloped both itself and Celestial Knight – Venus in their light. As Celestial Knight – Venus's body slowly disappeared, leaving behind four white stars in its place, Miku felt her back burn with energy as she commenced her summoning chant:

"When night comes to a close, a lone light rises to expel the darkness! Synchro Summon! Level 7! Arise, Celestial Dragon - Sol!"

In an explosion of sunlight, Miku's Synchro monster, a massive masculine golden dragon with glowing wings, muscular arms and hands with opposable thumbs, and lines of golden light burning against its body, descended to Miku's field, light from its body expelling the shadows of Aliesha's Geisha Hanamachi.

 **Celestial Dragon – Sol/ LIGHT/ Level 7/ Dragon/ Synchro/ Effect/ ATK 2700/ DEF 1500**

"You did it!" Carly exclaimed in awe. "You did a Synchro Summon! It's so amazing!"

"So that's your Synchro monster." Aliesha breathed in wonder. "I'm gonna have to be careful of that thing."

Miku smiled at herself as she basked in the glow of the dragon her mother had given her. Just being in the monster's presence filled with all kinds of positive emotions, hope, joy, comfort, and tranquility, as if the Dragon was dedicated to protecting her. As if in response, the dragon slowly turned its head to face Miku when suddenly-

 _"_ _What…what was that?"_

Miku suddenly froze as an intense feeling of fear gripped her chest. She had heard something, a cold and deep voice like the whisper of the wind. Rapidly looking around, Miku tried to detect the sound of the voice, but found nothing.

 _"_ _I…I feel…something…a power…yes…a servant of the Crimson Dragon! But where is it? Where is the holder?"_

Miku began shaking as she heard the same ghostly voice once again. Whoever was doing it was not being very funny.

"Who said that!?" Miku demanded, sweat beading on her forehead as she scanned the group of kids that were still staying far away from their duel.

"Who said what?" Aliesha asked.

"Some kid keeps whispering creepy things at me." Miku explained, "Seriously guys, it's not funny! Cut it out!"

Everyone in the crowd stared at Miku with weird and confused expressions, as if she had gone insane, a few whispered "Psycho psychic" and ran away.

"Come on guys!" Miku protested, "Stop-…"

But the rest of her sentence was cut off as she heard the voice again.

 _"_ _I'll find you…I can feel you…I can feel the energy. You cannot hide from me…child of my enemy!"_

Miku collapsed to the ground, clutching at her chest in agony as feelings of horror began gripping her once again. From up above, Miku felt her dragon step towards her before kneeling down and placing one of its massive warm paws on her shoulder. Looking up, Miku noticed that her monster had not only become solid enough to touch her, but looked strangely aware. Looking into its massive draconic eyes, Miku could swear she saw the dragon looking down at her with concern. Suddenly, a thought came to Miku.

"Are…are you speaking to me?" Miku asked.

Slowly, ever so subtly, the dragon shook its massive head, "no," causing Miku's eyes to widen with astonishment.

"Then…then who is-…?" Suddenly another wave of pain tore across her chest.

 _"_ _I am aware of you now. I can sense you. I am coming for you. I will find you…I will kill you! I will destroy you for what your kind did to me!"_

"MIKU!" Miku heard both Carly and Aliesha shout as they both rushed toward her. As they approached, Miku's monster slowly lifted its paw off of her shoulder before lumbering back to its position on the duel field, massive head scanning the area as if looking for something.

"Wait…" Miku called to her monster, still feeling very scared. "What's going on? Why am I-…?"

 _"_ _You cannot flee. Even now, I feel you. I am coming, for you. I…I SEE you now…I SMELL your dragon! I know who you are now…child of Suyana."_

"What's wrong!?" Aliesha asked, shaking Miku's shoulder to rouse her.

"I…I…" Miku replied, finding it difficult to form any words.

"Is it the meds?" Carly asked. "They've been known to cause some bad side effects sometimes."

"I…I…" Miku stammered. What was she going to tell them?

"Here, we'll get you home." Carly insisted, as she and Aliesha pulled Miku onto her feet. "I'm sorry I wanted to duel so badly, I didn't know it'd end up triggering your psychic powers like this."

"No…it's not…" Miku insisted, feeling guilty as she pulled herself away from Aliesha and Carly. Why did she have to have some kind of emotional breakdown just when she was having so much fun with her friends? Not wanting whatever weird ailment that had come over her to interfere with the duel, she continued with, "I'm just…it's not your fault. I don't want you guys to have to quit like this, not when Carly still hasn't synchro summoned yet."

"It can wait." Carly insisted.

"I'll be fine." Miku replied, straightening out her hair, "I just overexerted myself is all. I still really want to continue."

"Are you sure?" Aliesha asked.

"Yeah, and besides, I'm ending my turn now anyway so-" 

Suddenly Miku heard a low growl emanating from her dragon. Craning her head in the direction of her dragon, she saw Celestial Dragon – Sol staring directly at her. Looking into it's the monster's eyes, Miku felt concern emanating from the monster, as if it was trying to warn her of something. Still, Miku really wanted to continue the duel. She had felt so animated as she had made her plays, like she was born to be a duelist, and quitting now would mean breaking her promise to Carly.

"I end my turn." Miku insisted.

Aliesha and Carly both looked at Miku with worried expressions.

"I'm okay." Miku insisted, straightening herself out. "Let's keep going."

"Well…okay then I guess." Aliesha replied.

"Please take a break if your feeling sick." Carly insisted, "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I will." Miku replied, "Just go."

Aliesha shrugged her shoulders. "Okay then. My move, draw!"

Holding out the card she just drew, Aliesha continued her turn.

"I reveal De-Spell in my hand with the effect of Geisha Hanamachi in order to give my Field Spell Card another counter, and since your turn ended, Geisha Onee-San returns to me."

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 13 counters**

 **Geisha Onee-San: 1800 + (13 X 300) = 5700 ATK**

 **"** Next, I will activate the effect of Geisha Onee-San," Aliesha continued, "Revealing your face-down Hallowed Life Barrier so you can't use it."

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 14 counters**

 **Geisha Onee-San: 1800 + (14 X 300) = 6000 ATK**

Miku struggled to maintain focus. Despite her excitement over the duel, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.

"Next," Aliesha continued, "I will activate De-Spell from my hand, revealing your face-down Spell Card, Celestial Reflector, in order to destroy it!"

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 15 counters**

 **Geisha Onee-San: 1800 + (15 X 300) = 6300 ATK**

Miku flinched as Aliesha's Spell Card destroyed one of her face-downs, but her discomfort was not from losing one of her defenses.

 _"_ _Death approaches you."_ The cold voice whispered. _"I shall enjoy avenging my brethren with your blood."_

"Next I will equip my Geisha Onee-San with Geisha Shamisen." Aliesha continued as a large 3-stringed lute appeared over her monster's back, "When this card is equipped to a Giesha monster, I get to draw 1 card from my deck. And because I added a card to my hand, my Geisha Hanamachi can reveal it to gain another counter. In addition, the equipped monster can attack each monster my opponent controls once each!"

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 16 counters**

 **Geisha Onee-San: 1800 + (14 X 300) = 6600 ATK**

"Attack all of Carly's monsters and Miku's monsters!" Aliesha ordered. In response, Aliesha's monster opened up her kimono, causing the elegant dress to fall from her body, revealing a pitch-black body suit, like the kind a ninja would wear, underneath her robes, and a pair of massive jade blades with golden dragon patterns printed on the sides, attached to a set of chains coiled around her waist. Whipping out her blades and spinning them around with the chains, she charged at Carly and Miku's monsters, blades whirling through the air in a tornado of bright green jade as she began her attack.

 _"_ _Your friends will die."_ The voice foretold. _"I shall feast on their blood, flesh, and essence."_

"NO!" Miku violently screamed, causing both Aliesha and Carly to jump with shock.

"Mimi?" Carly timidly replied.

Reflexively, Miku stretched her hand towards her monsters, feeling power course through her body in defiance of the voice's words.

"I activate the effect of Celestial Angel! During either player's turn, I can pay half my Life Points in order to make it so no attacks can be declared this turn!"

 **Miku: 4000 – 2000 = 2000 LP**

Spreading out her wings, Celestial Angel let loose a wave of light, which slammed against Aliesha's Geisha Onee-San, sending the monster flying back before brushing past Carly and Aliesha, causing their hair to blow backwards from the sudden gale-force wind.

"Woah!" Aliesha exclaimed. "Did that just have mass?"

Miku stared down at her hands in shock, still feeling immense energy building up inside of her. Her hands were glowing with a faint crimson light that gradually faded away as her monster finished its effect. Jerking her head up, Miku quickly looked up to see if her friends were okay.

"I'm sorry!" she hastily apologized, "I don't know what happened!"

"It's okay." Aliesha reassured Miku. "Nobody got hurt. I just…" she hesitated, "…I think you might need to rest, Mimi."

Far away, Miku could hear the cold voice laughing. Feeling horrified, Miku looked at Carly with a guilty expression on her face."

"I'm okay." Carly reassured her. "I was just surprised is all. I'll stop so you can rest."

"No!" Miku pleaded, "I don't want you to have to…I just…"

"Okay, no, Mimi!" Aliesha growled, "This is getting out of hand! Look, I'm sorry I wanted to duel you all so bad, this is my fault. But I don't want one of my friends getting hurt because I was being stupid. So let's stop."

Miku looked back and forth between her two friends.

 _"_ _It is your fault…Miku…" it began laughing. "Yes…Miku…I know you now…my master knows your family. We know your fate. Even now you take your first steps toward your grim destiny. Your friends already mistrust you, and in the end, you will betray them all."_

"NO!" Miku screamed at the voice.

"What was that!?" Aliesha protested, looking alarmed.

Miku began sweating.

"I mean…no, please." She insisted, placing her hand on her Duel Disk. "I'm the one who's at fault here. I shouldn't have kept dueling. I've been feeling sick and…things just got out of control. I'll forfeit. You two please just…just keep going. I still want to see Carly Synchro Summon."

Aliesha fixed Miku with a look of suspicion, but nodded her head.

"Okay then. Go ahead and rest. We'll duel until Carly Synchro Summons, but after that, we're getting you home, okay?"

"Okay." Miku agreed, shutting off her disk.

 **Miku: 2000 – 2000 = 0 (Forfeit)**

As her monsters slowly faded away, Miku sat down on the ground, panting for breath and sweating as she watched them continue the game.

"Don't worry, Mimi." Carly promised as she began her turn. "I'll Synchro Summon really quickly so you can go home."

Miku nodded her head, feeling horrible. What on earth had just happened? She had taken her meds not too long before, and she was feeling fine. Why was everything going wrong now?

"Since I control a Fortune Fairy monster," Carly began, "I Special Summon the Level 1 Tuner Monster, Fortune Fiary Jikan!"

 **Fortune Fiary Jikan/ LIGHT/ Level 1/ Fairy/ Tuner/ Effect/ ATK 0/ DEF 0**

Miku watched as Carly summoned another fairy, even smaller than the other Fortune Fiaries, with bright orange hair, an orange dress, and a staff with a clock in the center.

 _"_ _You cannot protect them…Miku. But don't worry, I won't strike yet. I'm not quite strong enough yet. But my power is growing. I have not forgotten what your ancestors did to my brothers and sisters! I WILL avenge them! I will destroy you, but not before I make you watch them die!"_

Miku gripped her shoulders, trying to ignore the voice.

"Next, I'll use my Fortune Fairy Jikan's effect! A number of times per turn, up to the number of Fortune Fairy monsters I control, I can increase the Level of one monster on the field by one. With this effect, I'll increase Fortune Fairy Jikan's Level from one to five!"

 _"_ _Their fate is sealed. My master has decreed that they shall die!"_

"Next, I will tune my Level five Fortune Fiary Jikan with my Level three Fortune Fairy Hu!"

 _"_ _I see such pain in their futures. Such sorrow. But don't worry, unlike your ancestors, I will be satisfied to end their suffering with their death."_

"Shut up." Miku whispered to herself, clamping her hands over her ears as she tried to focus on her friends. "Shut up!"

"Mystical fairy witches who foresee the future!" Carly chanted, "Harmonize your gaze now to gain clairvoyance and create a miracle!"

 _"_ _You will all be mine."_

Tearing her Celestial Dragon – Sol from the Extra Deck, Miku reflexively clutched at the card her mother had given her like a teddy bear, feeling a slight bit of warmth and comfort coming from within.

"What's happening to me?" she thought.

"SYNCHRO SHOUKAN!" Carly exclaimed as her new monster appeared in a pillar of light. "Come forth! Level eight, Fortune Fairy Mirai!"

Looking in the direction of Carly's field, Miku watched as Carly completed her first Synchro Summon. Glowing with radiant white light, Fortune Fairy Mirai was a fairy slightly older and more mature than the other Fortune Fairy monsters on Carly's field. She had short white hair, a white dress, and milky white eyes that glowed with radiant white light. In her hands, she carried a long staff with a clear crystal embedded in the center.

 **Fortune Fairy Mirai/ LIGHT/ Level 8/ Fairy/ Synchro/ Effect/ ATK 0/ DEF 0**

"You did it." Miku sighed, happy to see Carly succeed.

"Fortune Fairy Mirai gains one-thousand attack for each face-up Fortune Fairy I control, Carly explained. In addition to this, a number of times per turn, up to the number of Fortune Fairy monsters I control, I can banish 1 card on the field, and if I do, the controller of that card draws 1 card."

 **Fortune Fairy Mirai 0 + (3000 due to its effect + 3000 due to Miracle Stone) = 6000 ATK.**

"Wow." Aliesha breathed. "You could probably beat me now."

Carly shook her head.

"We said we'd only play till I summoned my Synchro Monster, so I'll end the duel now."

"Agreed." Aliesha sighed as the both of them deactivated their Duel Disks before walking up to Miku.

 **Aliesha 4000 – 4000 = 0 (Draw)**

 **Carly 4000 – 4000 = 0 (Draw)**

"Are you okay, Mimi?" Carly asked, feeling Miku's forehead.

 _"_ _Enjoy your last moments. I am ready. I am strong. I am coming."_

"I'm fine." Miku groaned, shakily getting to her feet, before wiping some sweat from her brow. "Let's…let's just go home now."

…

 **And that, ladies and gentleman, is how you make a cliffhanger! Happy Birthday Shimmering-Sky, and have no fear, much more of Miku's tale is coming! To all the rest of you who decided to not heed my warning about the spoilers, thank you all for reading all the same, but be forewarned! Future chapters WILL contain much more significant spoilers! Until next time, stay tuned for more "Signs of Renewal" along with my other works, and may you all have an AWESOME summer!**

FEATURED ORIGINAL CHARACTERS

Name: Miku Kazuki / Original concept by: Shimmering-Sky / Deck: Celestial / Allegiance: none / Status: Active

Name: Aliesha Claire / Original concept by: Donjusticia / Deck: Geisha / Allegiance: none / Status: Active

Name: Zack Flanders / Original concept by: Donjusticia / Deck: Unknown / Allegiance: none / Status: Active

FEATURED FAN CARDS

Miku's Monsters

Celestial Knight - Venus / LIGHT / Level 4 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 1700 / DEF 1000 / If there is another face-up "Celestial" monster on the field: Once per turn, you can target 1 monster your opponent controls; take control of it until the End Phase.

(Original concept by Shimmering-Sky)

Celestial Synchron / LIGHT / Level 3 / Machine / Tuner / Effect / ATK 700 / DEF 1800 / When this card is normal summoned, you can Special Summon 1 Level 1 monster from your deck.

(Original concept by Shimmering-Sky)

Celestial Angel / LIGHT / Level 1 / Fairy / Effect / ATK 100 / DEF 100 / During either player's turn: You can pay half your Life Points; neither player can declare an attack this turn. When this card is Normal Summoned: Special Summon up to 2 "Celestial" cards from your Deck. If they have effects that activate when they are Normal Summoned: You can activate their effect(s).  
(Original concept by Shimmering-Sky)

Miku's Extra Deck

Celestial Dragon – Sol / LIGHT / Level 7 / Dragon / Synchro / Effect / ATK 2700 / DEF 1500 / 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-tuners

Once per turn: You can banish one "Celestial" card from your Graveyard, then target 1 card on the field; destroy it.  
Miku's Spells

Celestial Reflector / Spell / Quick-Play / Activate only if you control a face-up "Celestial" monster when your opponent declares an attack: Negate the attack.  
Aliesha's Monsters

Geisha Maiko / WIND / Level 3 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 1200 / DEF 1200 / If your opponent controls a monster(s) and you control no monsters, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. If this card is summoned, you can add 1 "Geisha" card from your deck to your hand, and if you do, reveal the card added to your hand. (You can only use this effect of "Geisha Maiko" once per turn). If a card in your hand is revealed by a card effect, you can activate this effect: Your opponent reveals 1 card in his/her hand of the same type as the card you revealed (Monster, Spell, or Trap). If he/she cannot, inflict 500 damage to your opponent's LP.

Trivia: "Maiko" is the Japanese term for a Geisha in her final stage of training. It literally means "dance girl."

Geisha Onee-San / DARK / Level 5 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 1800 / DEF 1800 / Once per turn, during either player's turn, you can reveal 1 set card on the field or randomly from either player's hand. If a card is revealed by this effect, neither player can activate the effects of cards with the name of the card revealed with this effect. If this card is removed from the field, you can activate this effect: Special Summon 1 "Geisha" monster from your hand.

Trivia: "Onee-San" literally, "Big Sister" was the title of respect used for senior Geisha who would train young ladies to become new Geisha.

Aliesha's Spells

Geisha Hanamachi / Spell / Field / Each time a player adds a card to his/her hand, (including by drawing), you can make that player reveal that card(s). Each time a card(s) in either player's hand or a set card on the field is revealed, place 1 "Geisha" counter on this card. "Geisha" monsters you control gain 300 ATK and DEF for each "Geisha" counter on this card. If this card would be destroyed, remove 1 "Geisha" counter from this card instead. You can discard this card from your hand: Place 4 "Geisha" counters on 1 face-up "Geisha Hanamachi" you control.

Trivia: A Hanamachi, literally translating as "flower town," is what is known as a Geisha District, or a district in which Geisha provide their professional services.

Geisha Shamisen / Spell / Equip / Equip only to a face-up "Geisha" monster you control. When this card is activated, draw 1 card. The equipped monster can attack each monster your opponent controls, once each. If this card is sent from the field to the graveyard, you can activate this effect: Special Summon 1 "Geisha" monster from your graveyard.

Trivia: A Shamisen is a traditional Japanese musical instrument with three strings.

Aliesha's Traps

Geisha Infiltration / Trap / Continuous / During either player's turn, you can give control of 1 "Geisha" monster you control to your opponent until the End-Phase of this turn, and if you do, you can activate the following effect a number of times this turn equal to the number of monsters your opponent controlled at the time you gave control of your "Geisha" monster to your opponent with this effect: Randomly reveal 1 card in your opponent's hand or that is set on their side of the field. While your opponent controls a "Geisha" monster, he/she cannot declare an attack.

Carly's Monsters

Fortune Fairy Jikan / LIGHT / Level 1 / Fairy / Tuner / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 0 / If you control a face-up "Fortune Fairy" monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. During your Main-Phase, you can activate this effect: A number of times during the Main Phase of this turn, up to the number of "Fortune Fairy" monsters you controlled at the time of this effects activation, you can target 1 monster on the field: Increase its Level by 1. (Max. 12).

Trivia: "Jikan" is the Japanese word for "time."

Fortune Fairy Uchuu / DARK / Level 7 / Fairy / Tuner / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 0 / You can Special Summon this card (from your hand) by tributing 1 "Fortune Fairy" monster you control. During your Main-Phase, you can activate this effect: A number of times during the Main Phase of this turn, up to the number of "Fortune Fairy" monsters you controlled at the time of this effects activation, you can target 1 monster on the field: Decrease its Level by 1, (Min. 1), and if you do, you can return 1 card from your hand to the bottom of the deck to add 1 Spell Card from your deck to your hand.

Trivia: "Uchuu" is the Japenese word for "cosmos."

Carly's Extra Deck

Fortune Fairy Mirai / LIGHT / Level 8 / Fairy / Synchro / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 0 / 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-tuners  
Once per turn, you can Special Summon 1 "Fortune Fairy" monster from your hand, deck, or graveyard. This card gains 1000 ATK for each face-up "Fortune Fairy" monster you control. During your Main-Phase, you can activate this effect: A number of times during the Main Phase of this turn, up to the number of "Fortune Fairy" monsters you controlled at the time of this effects activation, you can target 1 card on the field: Banish it, and if you do, the controller of that card draws 1 card.

Trivia: "Mirai" is the Japanese word for "future."

Carly's Spells

Unfortunate Prediction / Spell / Quick-Play / When you Summon exactly 1 Fortune Fairy" monster, you can activate this card: Special Summon 1 "Fortune Fairy" monster with a higher level than the monster Summoned from your hand, deck, or graveyard.

Miracle Ring / Spell / Continuous / Face-up "Fortune Fairy" monsters you control cannot be targeted by card effects and cannot be destroyed (by battle or card effect) once for each face-up "Fortune Fairy" monster you control. Any battle damage your opponent takes from battles involving a "Fortune Fairy" monster you control is halved.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER!**

 **READ CHAPTER ONE'S DISCLAIMER! SERIOUSLY! I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT MYSELF! HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO? DO YOU** ** _WANT_** **YOUR READING EXPERIENCE FOR "SIGNS OF RENEWAL" RUINED?**

Signs of Renewal Audience: WHY ISN'T THE NEXT "SoR" CHAPTER UP YET!?

 **WHAT WAS THAT? HMMM…MUST HAVE BEEN THE WIND. OH WELL, IF YOU GUYS** ** _REALLY_** **WANT TO KEEP READING, I GUESS I WON'T STOP YOU…EVEN WITH A REALLY LONG DISCLAIMER.**

Phoenix Guard Origins

Miku's Tale

Part 2: Ignition

"Wow, I have no idea what was in your meds, but I seriously think whoever manufactured them had it out for you." Said Aliesha as Miku doubled over on the way to her home, retching as she nearly vomited again.

Miku had gradually begun to feel worse ever since the duel between herself and her two friends, Carly and Aliesha. She was now visibly fevered, and her walking had grown unsteady.

"I'm so sorry I made you duel." Carly apologize for the umpteenth time since they began helping Miku home.

"It's not…your fault." Miku gagged, almost doubling over again as she felt another convulsion in her stomach area. "I don't know…what's going on with me…but it's definitely not your fault."

"Are you sure you didn't eat something bad?" Carly asked, adjusting the glasses over her face.

Miku was absolutely sure about that.

 _"_ _Ha ha ha ha ha ha haw!"_ the voice laughed, _"Are you already so weak from my mere presence? Does the smallest portion of my essence cripple one chosen by the enemy of my master?"_

Miku felt her heart hammering against her ribcage like a jack-hammer. Any faster, and she was certain that it would explode, splattering her innards with blood and gooey tissue. The voice had never left her. She could feel it watching her, as if it were breathing down her neck. But she couldn't get rid of it. She couldn't stop it. It was always there. Tormenting her. Threatening her.

"We're almost home." Carly reassured Miku. "Don't worry, you'll feel better once you get some rest."

 _"_ _Yes…child of Suyana…you will all rest very soon. I will make sure of that."_

Miku rapidly shook her head, trying to ignore the voice. Was she just crazy? Is that what had happened to her? She had once seen a cartoon where there was a crazy villain, cackling while his hair stood on end with static electricity. Miku had laughed at the poor man as he enacted his irrational plan to conquer the world with sheep, claiming that the voices in his head had told him to do so, but now…now all she could do was wonder what the voice in her head would say to her.

"Okay, just a few more blocks and…" Aliesha suddenly stopped mid-sentence as the three of them rounded a corner.

"W-w-what are t-t-they doing here?" Carly timidly squeaked.

Miku craned her head up to see what Carly was talking about and groaned. Blocking their path to Miku's house was Zack Flanders, flanked by two of his friends, a boy with sandy brown hair and a short heavyset body, and a massive gorilla-like boy with short spikey black hair.

"Are you gonna move?" Aliesha asked when the gorilla-like boy moved in front of her, blocking her path.

"Now why would I do that?" Zack asked, stepping towards Aliesha with a condescending expression on his face. "I definitely don't want members of the Arcadia Movement hurting any more people in the city. Not after the horrible things you all did to the teacher."

"What the flip are you talking about!?" Aliesha exclaimed.

"You may have fooled everybody else." Zack purred, "But you didn't fool me. I saw what Carly did. She used her psychic powers to control the teacher's brain. That's how she got the answer right. It's how she's been getting all the answers right. Right guys?" he asked turning towards the two boys flanking him.

Snickering, the two boys nodded their heads.

"Sorry psychics, but I've got two other witnesses besides me who saw what Carly did. Dad says that's enough in a court case to make a testimony reliable. We've gotta stop you all now. We can't be letting any of you use your psychic powers to scramble any more brains now, can we? Just imagine how many people you could harm that way? We've gotta lock you up. Lock you all up tight in the facility with the other criminals for the good of everyone."

Miku couldn't believe what she was hearing. This was no time for this stupidity to be happening. Why did Zack have to pick now to bully Carly? And why was he bullying her? Because she had answered a question correctly?

Suddenly, Miku began feeling cold. Looking around, she could swear she felt something. Something very bad coming there way.

"Guys…" Miku feebly coughed, trying to get the attention of her friends.

Unfortunately, the others seemed too preoccupied with Zack's gang.

"Are you kidding me?" Said Aliesha, folding her arms over her chest. "Who's gonna lock us up? You? You couldn't lock up a fly."

"You better be careful, psychic!" Zack snapped. "My dad's in Security! If I want someone locked up, I can have them locked up!"

"Yeah right!" Aliesha laughed. "And even if that were true, how are you gonna lock us up!? We've got psychic powers, remember? I could pick you up like a rag doll and make your head explode! So you mortals better just run along before you piss me off!"

Zack stared at Aliesha with a cold expression on his face.

"You've done it now, psychic." he growled, pulling out a Duel Disk and putting it on his arm. "You psychics think you can just do whatever you want with your powers, but I'm not gonna let you! You see this?" he asked, indicating his Duel Disk as it activated, humming with energy as the blade slowly lit up with blue light, "This uses Solid Vision! The kind of stuff my dad uses. It creates shockwaves strong enough to counter even the mass of Psychic's monsters! You hear that, Carly!?" he shouted at Carly, who hid behind Aliesha, tears coming to her eyes as she began to cry. "I'm gonna duel you right now! I'll show you for thinking your better than me with your psychic powers!"

"Leave…now!" Miku hissed, slowly staggering towards Zack.

"Bring it on, sick-girl." Zack sneered. "I'll take you all on! I've been practicing!"

"Is that why you brought your goons along?" Aliesha sneered, "Because you're such a good duelist?"

"You think I'm a coward!?" Zack snarled. "Watch me! I'll take you on myself!"

"Really?" Aliesha smirked, continuing to taunt Zack, "You're not just gonna hide behind your friends and your daddy like a pansy?"

"I'll fight you myself!" Zack insisted.

"Fine then!" Aliesha spat, putting on her own Duel Disk and activating it. "Then let's just make it one on one. You and me. If I win, you'll let us go."

"And if I win, then Carly is next!" Zack growled.

"You're not getting to Carly!" Aliesha roared, drawing an opening hand.

"STOP!" Miku shouted, grabbing the attention of both Aliesha and Zack.

"Shut up, psychic!" Zack roared, "I'll be taking care of you as well!"

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Miku screamed, as she felt a dark presence enveloping the area they were standing in. She felt her back pulsing with pain, heat, and energy as the surrounding area seemed to grow darker and colder, and deep within her Extra Deck, she heard her dragon roaring, as if warning her to immediately flee the area. "Something's coming! We have to get out of here!"

Zack began laughing.

"Crazy psychic! You belong in a mental institution!"

"Shut up!" Aliesha snarled. "You leave my friends out of this! This is between me and you now, and I'm starting!"

"DUEL!" Aliesha and Zack proclaimed in unison.

 **Aliesha Claire vs. Zack Flanders**

Slamming a card onto her Duel Disk, Aliesha began her turn.

 _"_ _It begins soon. I am almost here. I can almost cross over into your world."_

"I won't let you hurt them!" Miku hissed, feeling her heart pounding even more rapidly against her chest as her anxiety grew.

"I activate Geisha Hanamachi!" Aliesha began, activating her Field Spell Card. "And now that that card is activated, I'll Normal Summon Geisha Imouto-San!"

Through a blue portal, Aliesha's monster, a young woman in a green kimono with a red sash on the side, and a white lotus flower on the side of her hair, descended to the field before bowing towards Zack.

 **Geisha Imouto-San / EARTH / Level 4 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 1500 / DEF 1500**

"When Geisha Imouto-San is summoned, both of us draw one card from our decks." Aliesha explained as her monster blew a kiss into the air, scattering cherry blossoms that began blowing around both Aliesha and Zack. "And with the effect of my Field Spell Card, I can make us reveal the cards we drew to give my Geisha Hanamachi two counters! And with every counter my Hanamachi has, my Geisha monsters gain 300 ATK! So show me what you've got!"

Zack drew a card from his deck, looking bored. "It's broken bamboo sword." He droned.

"And I've got another Geisha Hanamachi." Said Aliesha as two lanterns in the center of Geisha Hanamachi lit up.

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 2 counters**

 **Geisha Imouto-San: 1500 + (2 X 300) = 2100 ATK**

"However, I'm not just letting you get hand advantage!" Aliesha continued, "My Imouto-San has another ability! Once per turn, if a card in my opponent's hand is revealed by a card effect, my Imouto-San can banish 1 random card from my opponent's hand with her effect and add 1 Geisha Counter to my Geisha Hanamachi! Go, Imouto-San! Seductive Strike!"

Throwing back her kimono, Geisha Imouto-San revealed a concealed jade katana, which she whipped out before leaping into the air, a tornado of cherry blossoms swirling behind her, and bringing her blade down on Zack's hand.

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 3 counters**

 **Geisha Imouto-San: 1500 + (3 X 300) = 2400 ATK**

"Grrr!" Zack grunted as he was forced to banish a random card from his hand. "I thought you were on your meds! Why did I feel that!?"

"I usually try to hold my psychic powers back." Aliesha growled, "But not with you!"

"You think you can scare me!?" Zack snarled. "I'll show you on my next turn!"

"I'm not even close to done with my turn!" Aliesha countered.

"Guys…please…!" Miku pleaded once again, almost certain she could hear footsteps now.

"Don't worry." Carly reassured Miku. "Aliesha will win, I know it."

"That's not…what I'm…worried about." Miku groaned.

"The next thing I'm gonna do…" Aleisha continued, "is discard the Geisha Hanamachi I added to my hand earlier in order to add four Giesha counters to my active Geisha Hanamachi."

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 7 counters**

 **Geisha Imouto-San: 1500 + (7 X 300) = 3600 ATK**

"Ganbare, Aliesha!" Carly encouraged.

Aliesha smiled at this. "Thank's Carly. Now watch this, I activate the last effect of my Geisha Imouto-San! Once per turn, I can Normal Summon one Geisha monster in addition to my regular Normal Summon or Set! And so, by tributing my Geisha Imouto-San, I'll Tribute Summon my Geisha Onee-San!"

Twirling into the air, Geisha Imouto-San rose into the air, a tornado of cherry blossom petals swirling around her before gradually obscuring her from vision. When the cherry blossoms cleared away, Aliesha's ace monster stood in her place, fan raised to obscure her face from vision as she gently descended to the ground.

 **Geisha Onee-San / DARK / Level 5 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 1800 + (7 X 300) = 3900 / DEF 1800 + (7 X 300) = 3900**

"I will next activate the effect of Onee-San!" Aliesha continued, "I'll reveal one random card in your hand!"

With a wave of her hand, Geisha Onee-San sent a gust of wind into Zack's hand, causing a card to blow out of his hand before landing on the ground in front of him.

"Stop doing that!" Zack snarled.

"Armed Samurai Ben Kei, huh?" Aliesha observed, looking at the card that had landed on the ground before Zack retrieved it. "Well I think I know what your strategy is now. And of course, since a card was revealed, I get another counter."

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 8 counters**

 **Geisha Onee-San: 1800 + (8 X 300) = 4200 ATK**

"Are you done yet?" Zack growled.

"Not yet." Aliesha replied. "I next set two cards face-down and end my turn."

"Then it's my move, Psychic." Zack growled, "I draw!"

"Show me the card you drew!" Aliesha commanded.

Ruefully, Zack complied, "It's broken bamboo sword." He explained, before returning the card to his hand.

"So basically like I thought." Aliesha shrugged. "Your deck is gonna be nothing but a bunch of equip cards for Ben Kei, even if you have to throw in a bunch of useless ones."

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 9 counters**

 **Geisha Onee-San: 1800 + (9 X 300) = 4500 ATK**

"We'll see whose cards are useless." Zack replied, a knowing grin creeping over his face.

 _"_ _Aliesha is going to lose now. That is certain. And soon, you will lose as well."_

"Shut up!" Miku hissed, feeling colder and emptier by the second.

"Well watch this then!" Aliesha countered, "First, I'm gonna activate the effect of my Geisha Onee-San to reveal one card in your hand so you can't use it this turn!"

Geisha Onee-San sent a gust of wind into Zack's hand, blowing a copy of Axe of Despair out of his hand.

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 10 counters**

 **Geisha Onee-San: 1800 + (10 X 300) = 4800 ATK**

"Awesome!" Aliesha cheered. "That's one of the strongest Equip Cards there is, and now you can't use it! There's no way you're getting over Geisha Onee-San now!"

"Sure about that?" Zack asked.

"Oh I'm sure!" Aliesha countered, "Especially after I activate this! I activate The Gift of Greed! Now you get to draw two cards, both of which you will be forced to reveal because of Hanamachi. And since you drew cards outside the Draw Phase, I will activate Appropriate so that I get to draw two cards as well, both of which will also be revealed!"

"I draw Supervise and Double Summon." Zack sneered, plucking two cards from his deck.

"And I draw Geisha Onee-San and De-Spell." Aliesha replied, adding two cards to her hand.

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 14 counters**

 **Geisha Onee-San: 1800 + (14 X 300) = 6000 ATK**

"Equip all the equip cards to Ben Kei you want!" Aliesha taunted. "There's no way you're gonna run over Onee-San now!"

Zack grinned, before pulling a card from his hand.

"I activate Double Summon." Said Zack with a sneer. "Now I can Normal Summon two monsters this turn instead of just one. Using this card's effect, I will Normal Summon Armed Samurai - Ben Kei and Evocator Chevalier."

Through two blue portals, Zack's monsters, the first a samurai in ragged clothing, with multiple arrows sticking out of his body like a pincushion, and the second, a tall knight in flaming red armor, appeared to his field.

 **Armed Samurai - Ben Kei / DARK / Level 4 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 500 / DEF 800**

 **Evocator Chevalier / FIRE / Level 4 / Warrior / Gemini / Effect / ATK 1900 / DEF 900**

Next, I'll equip my Armed Samurai – Ben Kei with Broken Bamboo Sword." Zack sneered.

In Ben Kei's hand, the hilt of a wooden sword appeared.

 **Armed Samurai – Ben Kei: 500 + 0 = 500 ATK**

"Like I said," Aliesha taunted. "It's useless. None of your monsters are even close to reaching my monster's ATK power."

"Well then I guess I need a few more weapons." Zack snickered, causing the two boys next to him to join him in laughter. "I next activate the magic card, Golden Bamboo Sword! If I control a Bamboo Sword equip spell card, I can draw two cards from my deck!"

Aliesha blinked in surprise, but maintained her composure.

"But that only helps my even more. Because of Geisha Hanamachi, you have to reveal both those cards."

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 16 counters**

 **Geisha Onee-San: 1800 + (16 X 300) = 6600 ATK**

"Have you gotten the hint yet?" Aliesha sarcastically asked.

"Oh I get it." Zack replied. "Your monster IS pretty strong. But that's what makes me and you different. My dad says you psychics are all brain powers, but no brain power."

"What the-…" Aliesha buzzed looking confused.

"Meaning…" Zack continued, "that no matter how powerful you guys get, you can't outsmart us! I next equip my Evocator Chevalier with the equip Spell Card, Supervise! While this card is equipped, my Evocator Chevalier gains its effects!"

Roaring with fury, Evocator Chevalier flexed his muscles, flames billowing out from behind his back and shoulders as he did.

"And now I'm gonna show you what his effect does!" Zack taunted. "During my turn, I can send one Equip Spell Card I control to the graveyard in order to destroy one card you control!"

"What!?" Aliesha exclaimed.

"I told you, you psychics couldn't outsmart me! Especially you, Carly!" he added, looking at Carly, who began protectively covering her face, with a murderous expression. "I send my Broken Bamboo Sword to the graveyard in order to destroy your Geisha Onee-San!"

Throwing his Bamboo Sword into the air, Ben Kei tossed his Equip Card towards Evocator Chevalier, who caught it in his gauntleted hand, causing the wooden sword to explode in a ball of flames. Roaring with fury, Evocator Chevalier raised his hand towards Aliesha's monster, sending a massive torrent of flame into Aliesha's direction. Screaming in pain, Geisha Onee-San withered away to a crisp in the torrent of flames, before the shockwave from Zack's hologram slammed into Aliesha, knocking her onto the pavement.

"Aliesha!" Miku and Carly screamed.

"I'M NOT GIVING UP!" Aliesha shouted, hopping back onto her feet. "When Geisha Onee-San is destroyed, I can summon another Geisha Monster from my hand! And I summon the Geisha Onee-San I added to my hand!"

 **Geisha Onee-San: 1800 + (16 X 300) = 6600 ATK**

"And with her effect, I'll reveal a card in your hand so you can't use it!" Aliesha continued, activating her monster's effect again to reveal a copy of Phoenix Gearfried in Zack's hand.

 **Geisha Hanamachi: 17 counters**

 **Geisha Onee-San: 1800 + (17 X 300) = 6900 ATK**

"I equip Lightning Blade and Legendary Sword to my Ben Kei." Zack continued with a confident expression as a pair of swords materialized in his monster's hands.

 **Armed Samurai – Ben Kei: 500 + 800 + 300 = 1600 ATK**

"And I'll activate Evocator Chevalier's effect, sending my Legendary Sword to the graveyard to destroy your second monster."

As Ben Kei's Legendary Sword disintegrated to dust, Evocator Chevalier raised his hand into the air again, sending another inferno of flame into Aliesha's monster, disintegrating the monster and sending Aliesha flying backwards once again.

 _"_ _It's your fault, you know."_ The voice whispered. _"If only you had decided to fight in Aliesha's place. But you were far too weak to save her. And in the end, you will always be too weak."_

"NO!" Miku protested, feeling immense energy build up within her.

"And now it's my Battle Phase!" Zack continued, "My Armed Samurai – Ben Kei can attack twice! So with three direct attacks you're finished! Armed Samurai – Ben Kei, Evocator Chevalier! Teach this psychic not to mess with me!"

"Aliesha!" Carly screamed, tears streaming down her face as both of Zack's monsters charged at her.

"NO! NO! NO!" Miku screamed, feeling like her body was about to explode.

 **Aliesha: 4000 – (1300 + 1300 + 1900) = 0 (Lose)**

The shockwaves from Zack's solid vision holograms slammed into Aliesha, actually lifting her off her feet and sending her flying through the air before she crashed into the pavement.

In the distance, Miku heard the voice laughing.

"ALIESHA!" Miku screamed, suddenly not feeling the least bit sick or scared. Miku could feel her powers surging within her so powerfully that she was actually glowing red.

"Now it's your turn, Carly!" Zack threatened, turning towards Carly.

"NO!" Miku roared, charging towards Zack and whipping out her Duel Disk.

Zack suddenly turned his head in her direction, looking very scared.

"Miku?" Aliesha groaned, struggling back to her feet as Carly stared at Miku in shock.

"I…will…not…let anyone…hurt…my friends!" Miku growled, feeling an overwhelming desire to punish Zack for what he had done. "Your opponent is me now! My…TURN!"

FEATURED ORIGINAL CHARACTERS

Name: Miku Kazuki / Original concept by: Shimmering-Sky / Deck: Celestial / Allegiance: none / Status: Active

Name: Aliesha Claire / Original concept by: Donjusticia / Deck: Geisha / Allegiance: none / Status: Active

Name: Zack Flanders / Original concept by: Donjusticia / Deck: Unknown / Allegiance: none / Status: Active

FEATURED FAN CARDS

Aliesha's Monsters

Geisha Imouto-San / EARTH / Level 4 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 1500 / DEF 1500 / If this card is summoned, both player's draw 1 card. You can Normal Summon 1 "Geisha" monster in addition to your Normal Summon/Set. If a card in your opponent's hand is revealed by a card effect, you can activate this effect: Banish 1 random card in your opponent's hand, and if you do, you can place 1 Geisha Counter on 1 face-up "Geisha Hanamachi" you control. (Each effect of "Geisha Imouto-San" can only be used once per turn).

Trivia: "Imouto-San" literally, "Little Sister" was the title used for junior Geisha.

Geisha Onee-San / DARK / Level 5 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 1800 / DEF 1800 / Once per turn, during either player's turn, you can reveal 1 set card on the field or randomly from either player's hand. If a card is revealed by this effect, neither player can activate the effects of cards with the name of the card revealed with this effect. If this card is removed from the field, you can activate this effect: Special Summon 1 "Geisha" monster from your hand.

Trivia: "Onee-San" literally, "Big Sister" was the title of respect used for senior Geisha who would train young ladies to become new Geisha.

Aliesha's Spells

Geisha Hanamachi / Spell / Field / Each time a player adds a card to his/her hand, (including by drawing), you can make that player reveal that card(s). Each time a card(s) in either player's hand or a set card on the field is revealed, place 1 "Geisha" counter on this card. "Geisha" monsters you control gain 300 ATK and DEF for each "Geisha" counter on this card. If this card would be destroyed, remove 1 "Geisha" counter from this card instead. You can discard this card from your hand: Place 4 "Geisha" counters on 1 face-up "Geisha Hanamachi" you control.

Trivia: A Hanamachi, literally translating as "flower town," is what is known as a Geisha District, or a district in which Geisha provide their professional services.


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER!**

 **THE FOLLOWING CHAPTER REVEALS SOME EVENTS CANON TO "SIGNS OF RENEWAL!" READ AT YOUR OWN RISK, OR REJOICE THAT MORE SoR RELATED CONTENT IS COMING OUT! YOUR CHOICE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SKY! I MISS YOUR PRESENCE ON THIS WEBSITE, BUT I AM CERTAIN YOU ARE DOING SOME VERY IMPORTANT AND AWESOME THINGS! KEEP UP THE WONDERFUL WORK!**

Phoenix Guard Origins

Miku's Tale

Part 3: Awakening

Miku's heart and head were hammering…energy coursing through her veins with such force that she felt like she might explode. In the distance, Carly was helping Aleisha to get back on her feet. Miku had felt some relief after noticing that the shockwaves hadn't hurt Aleisha too badly, but that had not cooled the rage she was feeling towards Zack by one degree.

 _"_ _So, you are finally showing some strength."_ the distant voice rattled, sounding amused. _"Go on then…child of my enemy. Avenge your doomed friends. I look forward to learning how you fight."_

Miku hesitated after hearing the voice.

 _"_ _Too weak? What a disappointment."_

Angrily, Miku threw aside her hesitation and proceeded with her turn.

"I summon Celestial Knight – Mercury in attack position!" Miku roared, actually feeling some energy behind her actions as a lanky knight in red-orange armor and a silver star-patterned helm appeared to her field through a blue portal before unsheathing a curved sword with a fiery red-and-orange hilt.

 **Celestial Knight - Mercury / LIGHT / Level 3 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 1500 / DEF 1000**

"I next set one card face-down, turn end!" Miku growled, slamming a second card onto her duel disk. "It's your turn now!"

Zack backed away, looking wary of fighting Miku.

"You aren't on your meds…are you?" he accused. "You just want me to fight so that you can slice me up with your real monsters! I'll…I'll call Security! They'll arrest you!"

"Running and hiding behind Security now?" Miku growled. "And I thought you were big and strong with your solid vision shockwave tech. I guess you really are just a scared bully."

Zack's face turned red.

"I'll show you, freaking psychic!" Zack shouted back. "You don't scare me! You guys are the ones who think they can bully us around with your telekinetic powers! Well, I'm not backing down! It's my turn! DRAW!"

"I summon Master of the Flaming Dragonswords!" Zack roared, summoning a large muscular man with hair and beard made of flame, and a burning sword in each of his hands.

 **Master of the Flaming Dragonswords / FIRE / Level 4 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 1800 / DEF 1200**

"Next," Zack continued, not missing a beat, "I equip my monster with Fighting Spirit, giving him 300 ATK for each of my opponent's monsters!"

 **Master of the Flaming Dragonswords: 1800 + 300 = 2100 ATK**

 _"_ _He doesn't waste time, that's for sure. He's obviously had some practice dueling."_ Miku thought to herself. Fortunately, she was no slouch herself when it came to dueling.

"Battle!" Zack commanded, "Master of the Flaming Dragonswords, attack Celestial Knight – Mercury!"

"Quick Play Magic Card activate!" Miku countered, stretching her hand towards her face-down. "Celestial Reflector! Since I control a face-up 'Celestial' monster, I can negate your attack!"

In front of Celestial Knight – Mercury, a mirror suddenly appeared, causing Master of the Flaming Dragonswords's blades to bounce off and deflect the blow, before the swordsman was forced to retreat back to his original position.

"Tch…" Zack grimaced. "You're just stalling. I end my turn."

"Then it's my turn again." Miku growled. "DRAW!"

"I'll start my next turn off by summoning Celestial Knight – Neptune!" Miku declared as a broad-shouldered knight in blue armor appeared to her field through a blue portal, a large trident in his hands.

 **Celestial Knight - Neptune / LIGHT / Level 3 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 1400 / DEF 1000**

"Celestial Knight – Mercury gains seven-hundred attack whenever I have a different Celestial Knight on my field." Miku continued. "And since I now control Neptune, that means that Mercury gains seven-hundred ATK!"

 **Celestial Knight – Mercury: 1500 + 700 = 2200 ATK**

"Typical psychic, all brain-powers, no actual brains." Zack sneered. "Even if your monster just got stronger, my Fighting Spirit gives my Master of the Flaming Dragonswords an extra three-hundred ATK since you now have two monsters."

 **Master of the Flaming Dragonswords: 1800 + (300 X 2) = 2400 ATK**

"You're not the only one with Equip Spells." Miku countered. "I equip my Celestial Knight – Mercury with Celestial Battleaxe, giving him one-thousand extra ATK!"

 **Celestial Knight – Mercury: 2200 + 1000 = 3200 ATK**

"Thirty-two hundred attack!?" Zack exclaimed, looking surprised as a silver-handled axe with a star engraved in the blade replaced the curved sword Mercury normally wielded.

"Battle!" Miku ordered, before Zack could fully process what had happened. "I attack Master of the Flaming Dragonswords with Celestial Knight - Mercury! Celestial Speed Strike!"

Roaring, Celestial Knight – Mercury charged forward before bringing his axe down on Master of the Flaming Dragonswords, who parried the weapon with his twin flaming swords.

"I send Fighting Spirit to the graveyard to prevent my monster's destruction!" Zack countered in desperation, hands shielding his eyes as a gust of wind blasted against his face.

 **Zack: 4000 – 800 = 3200 LP**

Miku grit her teeth, a little disappointed that she hadn't managed to defeat Zack's annoying monster, but far from impeded.

"Even though Celestial Knight – Neptune isn't strong enough to destroy your monster," Miku explained, "I can still use its own effect! While I control a different 'Celestial' monster, Neptune can attack you directly! Go! Riptide Break!"

Banging his trident against his armored chest once, Neptune summoned a wave of sea water, before surfuring along the crest of the wave with nothing but his sandaled feet. Rising above Zack's monster, he dove towards Zack in a dive, before striking at the chest of Zack with his pointy trident. Shockingly, there was a sudden shockwave, and Zack was actually blasted back a little by the force of the attack.

 **Zack: 3200 – 1400 = 1800 LP**

In the distance, Miku thought she could hear the sound of satisfied laughing, a deep grating sound like the vibrating of rebar.

"That's cheating!" Zack groaned, slowly getting back on his feet as he recovered from the blast. "You're off your meds! That's illegal!"

Miku was just as stunned as Zack. She hadn't activated her own powers…not willingly at least. Had her suppressing meds worn off so fast?

Carly, however, came to Miku's aid.

"That wasn't full psychic power!" she retorted. "Psychics make monsters _real_. You'd have been skewered by that trident if Miku were actually using her powers. I bet your solid vision system is just making it so that _both_ players feel the shockwaves."

Zack didn't look convinced.

"I'll make sure you get put behind bars where you belong." He vowed. "Finish your turn so I can finish you!"

"The only one going behind bars should be you." Miku growled. "I set one card face-down and end my turn!"

"Then it's my move now, draw!" Zack declared, adding a card to his hand, "And I'm starting my turn by activating Monster Gate! By tributing my Master of the Flaming Dragonswords, I can pick up cards from my deck until I find a monster I can Normal Summon, and Special Summon it!"

Behind Zack's monster, a large magical gateway appeared, before sucking the burning swordsman inside. Behind the gate, Zack began excavating cards from the top of his deck before finding one that fulfilled the gate's conditions.

"Using the effect of Monster Gate," Zack declared, sending a copy of Legendary Sword to the graveyard, "I Special Summon Sword Master in defense position!"

Through the monster gate, a thin arab-looking swordsman with a pair of curved blades in his hands and a turban on his head appeared to Zack's field.

 **Sword Master / EARTH / Level 3 / Warrior / Tuner / Effect / ATK 1200 / DEF 0**

"Next," Zack continued, pulling another card from his hand, "I Normal Summon Evocator Chevalier!"

"This monster again…" Miku grimaced as Zack's flaming knight from the last duel appeared to his field once more.

 **Evocator Chevalier / FIRE / Level 4 / Warrior / Gemini / ATK 1900 / DEF 900**

"And now that he's here," Zack continued, "I equip my Evocator Chevalier with Broken Bamboo Sword, increasing his ATK by zero."

"By zero?" Aleisha groaned, managing to recover enough to observe the duel.

"Confused?" Zack sneered. "Well, I wouldn't expect a psychic to get it, so let me show you my plan. Broken Bamboo Sword may look useless, but it's actually a necessary support card for quite a few powerful cards, the best one being this one! I activate Golden Bamboo Sword! With this card's effect, if I control Broken Bamboo Sword, I can draw two cards!"

"Two cards, just like that?" Carly exclaimed, looking worried.

"And I have have another copy of Golden Bamboo Sword ready to go!" Zack smirked, activating a second copy of Golden Bamboo Sword so that he drew a total of four cards. His hand was now looking quite full, not the kind of thing Miku liked to see.

Fishing out one of his many cards, Zack proceeded with his turn.

"I activate Tribute to the Doomed!" Zack declared, summoning a scary-looking mummy to his field. "I discard one card from my hand in order to destroy one monster my opponent controls, and I choose to destroy Celestial Knight – Mercury!"

Moaning, the horrific mummy stretched out its zombified arms, shooting out strands of linen, which wrapped around Miku's Celestial Knight – Mercury, before causing the monster to explode in cloud of dust before the Mummy sank into the ground, its gruesome work done.

"And now that your stronger monster is gone," said Zack, looking pleased with himself, "all you've got left defending yourself is Celestial Knight – Neptune! Evocator Chevalier, destroy that monster!" Zack ordered.

"Trap Card activate!" Miku countered. "Waboku! My monsters cannot be destroyed by battle and I take no battle damage this turn!"

"Again with the stalling." Zack growled.

"It's called, 'defense.'" Miku countered. "Something you need to work on."

"It's called 'freaking annoying,' and I hate it." Zack grumbled. "I set two cards face-down and end my turn."

"Then it's my turn again." Miku replied, drawing a card from the top of her deck before activating it. "I activate Celestic Speed. This card allows me to draw two cards before discarding one 'Celestial' monster from my hand. If I cannot do that, I have to take fifteen-hundred damage instead."

"So, you have some draw power too, big deal." Zack replied as Miku drew her two cards.

"One of the cards I drew is Celestial Synchron." Miku explained. "I'm sending that card to the GY so I don't take the damage. And now that that's done, I'm tributing my Celestial Knight Neptune in order to Tribute Summon Celestial Knight – Pluto!"

Placing his hand over his chest in a salute, Celestial Knight Neptune faded away before being replaced by a larger black-skinned knight wearing pitch-black armor. In his hands was a large obsidian broadsword, facets of the sword reflecting images like a mirror.

 **Celestial Knight – Pluto / LIGHT / Level 5 / Warrior/Effect / ATK 2300 / DEF 1000**

"Next," Miku continued, "Since I control a 'Celestial' monster, I can Special Summon Celestial Wizard from my hand!"

Appearing next to Neptune was a shorter wizard wearing a silver cowl, which obscured his face in shadow. In his hands was a wooden staff inlaid with silvery runes, planets, and stars. Holding out the staff, Celesital Wizard generated a thin silvery barrier of energy in front of Miku's monsters.

 **Celestial Wizard / LIGHT / Level 4 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 1800 / DEF 1000**

"While Celestial Wizard is on my field," Miku explained, "My other 'Celestial' monsters cannot be destroyed by battle, and speaking of battle, it's time to destroy both of your monsters! Celestial Knight – Pluto!" Miku ordered, "Attack Evocator Chevalier! Underworld Blade!"

"Trap Activate!" Zack countered, stretching his hand towards one of his face-downs. "Shift! I change the attack of Celestial Knight – Pluto to my defense position Sword Master, protecting me from the damage!"

Miku grit her teeth in frustration, watching as Sword Master leaped in front of Pluto's sword, taking the blow before he could destroy Zack's stronger monster. Now, with just Wizard left on her field, she couldn't defeat his stronger Evocator Chevalier.

"Turn end." Miku conceded, bracing herself for whatever Zack was planning to do next.

She soon found out.

"First," Zack declared, after drawing his card, "I'll start by normal summoning my Evocator Chevalier in order to unlock its effect. With that done, I can send my broken bamboo sword to the graveyard in order to destroy your Celestial Knight – Pluto!"

Igniting the broken fragments of its wooden bamboo sword, Evocator Chevalier transformed the bamboo into a large fireball, which it launched at Celestial Knight – Pluto. Igniting, Celestial Knight – Pluto burst into flames before shattering into millions of pieces.

"Celestial Knight – Pluto's effect!" Miku declared, "Once per turn, if Pluto is destroyed, I can resummons him to the same position he was in before!"

On command, the pieces of Pluto suddenly flew back together, reforming into the tall knight. Zack, however, did not look upset by this.

"I still haven't summoned my strongest monster." He sneered, stretching his hand towards his face-down card. "Trap activate! Call of the Haunted! I special summon Sword Master from my graveyard in attack position!"

"And what do you plan to do with him?" Miku asked.

"Ever heard of a Synchro Summon before?" Zack smirked. "That's right. I have a Synchro Monster of my own, and it just so happens that I can call him out now! I tune my Level three Sword Master with my Level four Evocator Chevalier in order to Synchro Summon!"

Eyes widening, Miku watched as Zack's Arab swordsman morphed into a trio of three green synchro rings, which surrounded Evocator Chevalier in their light before Evocator transformed into four spheres of white light and Zack began his summoning chant.

"Master of seven blades, cut through your enemies with your storm of blades and achieve victory! Synchro Shoukan! Come forth! Level seven! Seven Swords Warrior!"

In a flash of white light, Zack's Synchro Monster, a tall warrior in golden armor, with a blade in each hand, a blade sheathed on its back, and four more swords sheathed to its sides, appeared to Zack's field.

 **Seven Swords Warrior / EARTH / Level 7 / Warrior / Synchro / Effect / ATK 2300 / DEF 1800**

"But I'm not done yet!" Zack continued, "Because I next equip Seven Swords Warrior with Lightning Blade, giving him eight-hundred more ATK!"

 **Seven Swords Warrior: 2300 + 800 = 3100 ATK**

"Seven Swords Warrior's effect activates when it is equipped with a card." Zack continued, "I inflict eight-hundred damage to your life points! Go! Seven Blade Sword Storm!"

Slashing its lightning blade through the air, Seven Swords Warrior generated a slash of lightning, which cracked against Miku, knocking her back with the solid vision shockwaves.

 **Miku: 4000 – 800 = 3200 LP**

"And now, battle!" Zack ordered, "Seven Swords Warrior will attack and destroy Celestial Wizard! Seven Swords Slash!"

Charging forward, Seven Swords Warrior brought its blades down on Miku's monster, cutting it to ribbons and knocking Miku back even more.

 **Miku: 3200 – 1300 = 1900 LP**

"Erg!" Miku grunted in anger, feeling some bruises form on the arms she had used to block the shockwave.

"I'll use Seven Swords Warrior's last effect to send my Lightning Blade to the GY so it can destroy your Celestial Knight – Pluto." Zack continued. "Say 'bye-bye' to your last monster!"

With a skilled throw, Seven Swords Warrior threw its lightning blade into Miku's Pluto, completely destroying it.

"Turn end!" Zack growled. "I told you, you could never beat me, psychic!"

"You're not the only one with powerful cards." Miku retorted, managing to shrug off the pain and place her hand once again on top of her deck. "It's my move, DRAW!"

Pulling a card from the top of her deck, Miku looked at the card before smiling. The card she had drawn was one of the strongest cards she had in her deck, originally owned by her mother before she gave it to her daughter.

"I Normal Summon the monster I just drew," Miku declared, "Celestial Knight – Star!"

Descending from a white portal, a tall female knight with no helmet, her white hair tied into a neat bun wrapped in braids, with her bangs framing her silvery-blue eyes, descended to the field, silver star-decorated armor glittering in the sunlight."

 **Celestial Knight – Star / LIGHT / Level 4 / Warrior / Tuner / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 1000**

Zack took a step back from the monster, evidently impressed.

"A two-thousand ATK Level four tuner!? Where did you get the money to buy that card!?" he sputtered.

"If you think that's impressive, wait till you see her effect." Miku smirked, "When Celestial Knight – Star is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon one 'Celestial' monster from my graveyard, and the monster I choose is Celestial Knight – Mercury!"

In response to Miku's declaration, Celestial Knight – Star unsheathed her long-sword, an elegant weapon with a straight silvery blade and a silver crescent moon for a pommel. Waving her sword above her head in a circle, Celestial Knight – Star created a portal through which Celestial Knight – Mercury reappeared to the field.

Zack's eyes widened as he looked at Miku's two monsters.

"Figured it out, have you?" Miku smirked. "Celestial Knight - Star is a tuner, so you know what that means!"

Miku raised her hands into the air, feeling a strange rush of power build up in her veins.

"I tune my Level four Celestial Knight – Star with my Level three Celestial Knight – Mercury in order to Synchro Summon!" Natsumi declared.

Sheathing her sword, Celestial Knight – Star morphed into a quartet of Synchro Rings before surrounding Celestial Knight – Mercury as Miku began her summoning chant.

"When night comes to a close, a lone light rises to expel the darkness! Synchro Shoukan! Arise, Celestial Dragon - Sol!"

Rising up in the air with a flash of white light, Miku's golden ace monster appeared to her field, before landing in front of her.

 **Celestial Dragon - Sol / LIGHT / Level 7 / Dragon / Synchro / Effect / ATK 2700 / DEF 1500**

With her ace monster in play, Miku knew that victory was in her grasp…so why did she suddenly feel so…anxious?

Slowly, her dragon turned its head towards her.

 _"_ _Beware! This boy is not the true enemy! Protect him!"_

Miku flinched at the words that suddenly flooded her head. Blinking with confusion, she looked around, but found nobody who had spoken those words.

"Protect him?" she thought to herself. "But he's a bully! He hurt my friends! Why would I protect him!?"

 _"_ _Protect him_ and _your friends!"_ the voice pleaded again.

Not now. This couldn't be happening now! The last thing she needed was for herself to go crazy, just when she was about to beat Zack.

"Celestial Dragon – Sol's effect!" Miku declared. "Once per turn, I can banish one Celestial Monster from my graveyard in order to destroy one monster my opponent controls! I choose to banish Celestial Knight – Pluto from my graveyard in order to destroy Seven Swords Warrior!"

In front of Celestial Dragon – Sol, an ethereal image of Pluto appeared before her dragon devoured it and fired a blast of crimson energy into Zack's Synchro Monster, obliterating it. Zack was now open for a direct attack.

 _"_ _Yessssssssssssssss! Yesssssssssssssssssssssss!"_ the distant hissing voice rattled inside her head.

 _"_ _Protect him!"_ the other voice warned.

Miku hesitated. Looking down at Zack, who was sweating with fear as his life points were wide open.

"I've won." Miku growled, lowering her arm. "Just give up."

Zack blinked at her.

"GO!" Miku roared. "And don't bother us ever again!"

"I…I…" Zack sputtered, "I surrender."

He placed his hand over his duel disk.

 **Zack: 1800 – 1800 = 0 (CONCEDED)**

"It's over." Miku sighed. "Just leave us alone and we'll leave you alone."

 _"_ _Is it really over?"_ a hoarse voice like the rustling of leaves rattled, this time, not just in Miku's head.

Zack, his friends, Miku, and her friends, all turned in the direction of the voice, only to see what looked like a tall shriveled man, chunks of its charcoal-like flesh crumbling to ash and falling to the ground as it burned with dark-red flames, slowly materialize like a ghost before approaching Miku.

Miku's dragon growled at the apparition.

 _"_ _No…I don't you get to finish so ssoon."_ The apparition rasped, holding out a bony arm before a fiery duel disk materialized over it. _"After all…I jussst worked sssso hard…to fffind you…to fffeeed off of your…negative energy to…ssssummon myssself…I wass hoping we could get to know each other better…daughter of Suyana…"_

 **INTRUSION PENALTY!**

 **?: 4000 – 2000 = 2000 LP**

 **Happy birthday once again Sky. I didn't manage to squeeze in any Natsumi in this fic, but I will tell you what, if you are still on and you review this, I will quickly update the next chapter of this story within the next month or two. I hope this next year brings you immense joy…and that we can do another anime music battle someday…or get back to working on "Again" again…or get back to some of our witty back-and-forth banter over which shipping pairs are legit, I miss those conversations.**

 **Hope you have a wonderful day!**


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